Just when you thought we would get a break from former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez’s political activities, beyond his lobbying gig of course, we learned that today he has filed paperwork to make a comeback as a state senator (to fill the seat of Gil Cedillo, who may leave earlier for Hilda Solis’s Congressional seat).
I don’t know what would possess this man to jump back into the public fray like this when his child is facing a murder trial. In case you missed it earlier, we have blogged about Fabian Nuñez’s son’s legal problems rather extensively. Are Fabian Nuñez’s ambitions and ego so huge that he does not mind drawing more attention to his personal dysfunctions at a time like this?
The Sacramento Bee explains that this move could simply provide Highfalutin Fabian a place to store his nearly $5 million in campaign funds. Other politicians have accounts open to run for other offices, but they aren’t expected to actually run and wage active campaigns. Let’s hope that this is the case for Nuñez. I would rather he disappear for a long time and let others have a chance to lead. There is a reason why term limits were enacted in California. Besides, I think that having a child who is clearly disturbed and crying out for attention should give Fabian Nuñez enough reason to pause. The Latino community deserves more from its leadership than someone who finds excuses to buy luxury goods and French wine with campaign funds, while seemingly ignoring problems at home. Is this the best we can do as a community?
Photo: Esteban Nuñez, son of former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, stabbing or “mock stabbing” a cat. Photo taken from the myspace that has since been deleted after Esteban’s arrest. 19 year old Esteban is awaiting trial in a stabbing death of a 22 year old college student.
21 responses so far ↓
1 El Cholo // Feb 6, 2009 at 1:10 pm
It looks like the Cat-Stabber’s father is planning a return to the scene of his crimes…public office. And this is never ending as long as people vote for representatives based on their last names. Know your candidate. That’s the only way you can stop public theft and prevent the California assembly from resembling a Third World government.
2 Gustavo Arellano // Feb 7, 2009 at 10:07 am
Highfalutin’ Fabian: HILARIOUS.
3 Anna // Feb 7, 2009 at 5:09 pm
It’s not hilarious. It’s stupid.
You have Wall St getting almost a trillion dollars in handouts, Arnold taking big money from Wall St lobbyists, and Fabian gets raked over the coals for buying an expensive bottle of wine.
Yeah, that’s really highfalutin. Doesn’t he know that he’s supposed to live like a farm worker?
Don’t you understand that any Latino who makes it past a certain level will be trashed by the LA Times for any reason at all? They don’t want our state to have a Latino Governor or Senator.
Get a clue.
4 Michaelr // Feb 7, 2009 at 6:09 pm
The only Latino politician qualified to be the governor of California is Gloria Molina, and right behind her Hilda Solis, either or. And the pecking order drastically reduces itself from there. The vast majority of Latino politicians feeding off the taxpayer in the State of California are only interested in self-service, celebrity status, and small-time profiteering. These Latino politicians know if they steal and exploit their own kind, the courts will not hold them accountable, and will allow law-enforcement whatever means to maintain this status quo. And then there’s that other group of Latino politicians who are only interested in photo-ops, traveling on the taxpayer’s dime, and maintaining the status quo as long as it doesn’t require any real work. The powers that be, especially in California want a permanent menial labor group. And for nearly a century, a tiny group of Latinos have assisted competently repressing the Latino community at large.
5 El Cholo // Feb 7, 2009 at 6:22 pm
I’m glad somebody said it.
6 theKaiser // Feb 7, 2009 at 7:20 pm
The real political picture in less than one thousand words…will the powers that be ever show their faces? This may be too much to grasp for people like Anna the Apologist. She’s still dreaming she’ll witness the “Reconquista.”
7 Bearguez // Feb 7, 2009 at 8:02 pm
No one wants a “Reconquista.” Why would anyone in their right mind want a government that resembles Mexico’s? Why would anyone welcome a social and political regression to a Third World status? Five days in Tijuana would cure that thought. Just because we’re Latinos doesn’t mean we have to live and think like those poor souls over there. Why do you think they risk life and limb to come here?
8 Anna // Feb 7, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Michaelr: ‘The only Latino politician qualified to be the governor of California is Gloria Molina…”
What makes her qualified qualified to be Governor? Sorry , but I think the Governor should at least have a college degree.
The rest of your post is just the typical trashing of Latinos who hold public office….blah blah blah
9 Anna // Feb 7, 2009 at 9:03 pm
The Kaiser: She’s still dreaming she’ll witness the “Reconquista.”
What nonsense. That’s the LAST thing I want. You can keep that authoritarian, sexist culture.
10 Anna // Feb 7, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Bearguez: “Why would anyone welcome a social and political regression to a Third World status? Five days in Tijuana would cure that thought.”
Try one!
11 wendycarrillo // Feb 8, 2009 at 12:07 pm
GloMo as Governor? wow. there’s an idea. She is one the o.g’s in the field. not sure about her college degree status, but in many ways, this is an example on how college degrees dont always make you better politicians. she knows and understands politics and is one of the most heavy hitters in the political world. wasnt she co-chair to the DNC in 2004? hmmm. this is really giving me something to ponder.
was on a flight to sacramento a few weeks ago, w/ F.N on board… he could be a great leader if he focused… i know a lot of people that support him, and he’s very friendly towards lgbt, which is rare in latino politicians… on a personal, the issue w/ his family is not playing well amongst latinos. his son could have been anything he wanted… why did he go that route? it’s so sad.
and btw, POOR CAT! (in the pic)
12 Anna // Feb 8, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Re: “he’s very friendly towards lgbt, which is rare in latino politicians…”
No, it isn’t. All of the Latino democratic politicians are supportive of gay issues.
13 webmaster // Feb 8, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Anna,
State Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) has taken contributions from one of the top donors of the Protect Marriage Act.
http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/gay-marriage/oc-fundie-funder-gives-money-t/
Lou Correa is a Latino Dem, and he hasn’t been too fond of gay rights. He even abstained from voting on a domestic partnership bill back in 2003.
14 Gustavo Arellano // Feb 9, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Anna, get your head out of Occupied America and face the facts. Nuñez is a disgrace to Latinos, as is Villaraigosa. Most Latino politicians are just like other politicians—corrupt, moronic, self-serving. And this is somehow the Times’ fault for not accepting all this? HAHAHA.
15 Anna // Feb 9, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Webmaster:
OK, one is hostile to gay rights.
16 Anna // Feb 9, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Aside from the problem with his son, what has Nunez done wrong? In mainstream circles, he was considered an effective Speaker. So where do you come out with this nonsense that is he is a disgrace to Latinos (as if we are all one and the same).
Speak for yourself.
No offense, but your column is more of an embarassment, especially that graphic that shows the Mexican guy with the messed up tooth.
But if it earns you a living… And you have the nerve to say that Nunez is an embarassment? LOL
17 Editor, // Feb 9, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Gustavo writes to a lot of folks.
Once he and I exchanged soom one-upmanship challenges about which is more corrupt, Santa Ana or Huntington Park. I even wrot an article about this on my blog (http://watchourcity.com/Notes_From_Editor_10-04-07_IvyLeague_Ask_A_Mexican.html).
To make Gustavo’s point recalling his own quote about Villaraigosa, i noted:
“It is Gustavo who once quite presciently wrote that
“There are more styles of Mexican regional music…..than skeletons in that pinche pocho Villaraigosa’s closet” (“Ask
a Mexican does L.A.”, L.A. Weekly, December 7, 2005). No term of endearment is meant here with “pinche pocho”.
Gustavo, thank you for those gems.
The Editor, WatchOurcity.com
18 Editor, // Feb 9, 2009 at 8:00 pm
About Fabian, I was a guest lecturer at USC’s school of journalism. I wore my luchador mask to protect my identity. The professor was non other than former L.A. Times journalist Bill Boyarsky and former L.A. City Ethics commissioner appointed by Villaraigosa himself.
Boyarsky invited me precisely because I wrote about Fabian Nunez and his links to organized crime, er, elected officials, in southeast cities such as Bell, Huntington Park, Maywood, Cudahy and Bell Gardens. Bill asked me in front of his students: “do you really think that Fabian is really connected to corruption in Southeast cities?”
I’ve spent the past 4 years outlining in report after report just such connections, linking to public record documents and posting reports on watchOurCity.com.
Fabian is as corrupt as corrupt can get. He really can’t help himself. It is unfortunate about his son. Not to apologize, but his son’s troubles can be considered collateral damage of a cortupt public official.
Fabian is actually quite smart. what a fantastic public servant he could’ve been. such a lost oppportunity.
Incidentally, Boyarsky quit the Ethics Commission because the mayor had none.
-The Editor, WatchOurCity.com
19 Anna // Feb 9, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Editor:
Again, you haven’t answered the question. What has Nunez done wrong?
20 Reyfeo // Feb 10, 2009 at 10:01 pm
We have a national crisis with the spending of almost a trillion dollars Pres Obama and his liberal croonies are running through the Senate and House and all we can discuss on the website is Fabian Nunez?
Webmaster, how about some topics on where latinos stand on the stimulus package?
Just so you know, latinos are treated like noveleros, because as from this crazy blog about an idiot, that’s all we want to discuss…CHANGE THE FORUM TO SOME REAL TOPICS, like the spending bill being passed for a stimulus bill.
21 Anna // Feb 11, 2009 at 11:16 am
I agree with what you say about the topics.
But I disagree with you blaming the problem on liberals. Conservative trickle down economics, also known as voo doo economics and supply side economics caused this disaster. The Republicans are not the party of fiscal conservatism, as they like to say. That’s propaganda.
Unfortunately our corporations own all of our media outlets and broadcast these lies 24/7. It’s gotten to the point where people think that spending their own tax dollars on schools, and infrastructure is an “earmark.”
Meanwhile, out tax dollars are wasted by Republicans on no-bid contracts and “bailouts” for their criminal friends.
The Democrats inherited this mess. In fact, if they appointed some real liberals, we wouldn’t be in this situation much longer. Geithner, the Treasury Secretary is NOT a liberal. He favors Wall St and thinks the taxpayers should hand over our money to them with no strings attached.
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